COLRAIN — In hopes of easing the strain on Highway Department employees, the town will hold a Special Town Meeting on Tuesday to discuss transferring funds to contract snow removal services.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Colrain Central School.

The one-article warrant asks voters to transfer $50,000 from the Highway Department Wages account to a new account titled Highway Department Contracted Services-Snow and Ice Removal.

This account will be used to pay a yet-to-be-determined snow removal company to help clear snow from the roads this winter. This will be the first winter the town is seeking an outside contractor in hopes of easing the workload of its three Highway Department employees.

“We would like to make the roads safer and alleviate the pressure for the guys working,” said Selectboard Chair Ben Eastman.

Town Administrator Kevin Fox explained the town put out a job posting to hire a fourth Highway Department employee, but has yet to receive any applications. Therefore, voters will be asked to transfer the funds that were set aside to pay for that fourth employee’s wages to instead pay for contracted services.

Eastman indicated that hiring enough Highway Department employees is a problem across the region.

“We hope this is enough to cover the snow removal this winter,” Eastman said.

Reach Bella Levavi at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.